Inflated apparatus for preventing drowning and assisting swimming.



1.1. PRITCHARD.

INFLATED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DROWNING AND ASSISTING SWIMMING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19'. I916.

1 17,824. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

zzom I JOHN JAMES PRITCHARD, OF MOSELEY, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

VINFLATED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DROWNING'AND nssrs'rilve swiivnvrme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFehw,i917.

original applicafim filed oc'wber 1915: fl44. Divided and this application filed June 19, 1916.

Serial No. 104,563. V- r To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN JAMns PRrroH- ARD, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 4 Reddings road, Moseley,Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inflated Apparatus for Preventing Drowning and Assisting Swimming, of which the following is a specification.

Inflated "apparatus for preventing drowning and assisting swimming to be worn in the form of bands around the body and around the neck has been previously proposed but in every instance'such apparatus needs to be buckled or tied on the wearer.

The invention relates to this type of infiated band apparatus and provides a combination arrangement in which the two inflated bands are formed as a one piece part to constitute when worn two elastic rings adapted the one to encircle the neck and the other the body of the wearer immediately under the arms, and which rings are distinctive by stretching for putting on and by .automatically holding themselves on the wearer without any buckling or tying on, and by the provision as part thereof of auxiliary tapes, strap and buckle, or similar fastenings for holding the two bands to each other a distance apart opposite to where the said two bands form into rings.

The invention is represented by the accompanying sheet of drawings.

Figure 1 shows a plan of a single inflated ring to form the apparatus.

' Fig. 2 is an edge 'view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows how the ring Figs. 1 and 2 is twisted in putting the apparatus on the wearer.

Fig. 4 shows the manner of wearing the apparatus.

The apparatus is formed by a single inflated ring a. In putting this ring :20 on, a single twist d is put into said ring toprovide the two bands a and 0 and, where the in a 'manner as to tie the bands together a distance apart to prevent the one moving upwardly and the other downwardly as would be the case were they not tied o'r connected together, it being understood that the inflated ring a; is normally of ring form with a tendency to always straighten out to its normal ring condition. i

The fastenings g and 72; are important and advantageous, however, as when worn in the manner shown in Fig. 4 they 'free'the'throat of all pressure.

In the production of the apparatus the inflated tube would be either of india-rubber capable of standing considerable inflation or of thinner india-rubber covered with silk or other fabric and where the strap fastenings,

such as g and h are applied, said tube would be additionally strengthened as also such may be where the tube crosses as at (Z.

A valve such as 3 is provided for the inflation o-fthe tube either by mouth or force facilitate swimming and hold the two bands in their most effective positions around the body and neck of the wearer.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-;is:-

1. A- life preserving apparatus of the class described, comprising, when worn two inflated bands formed as one piece from an elastic ring one of said bands to encircle the body under the arms and the other around the neck, said bands being adapted to hold themselves in position on the person by their own elasticity, and auxiliary fastening means applied to the bands and adapted to hold the latter, from moving apart relative to each other opposite to where the two bands meet, substantially as described.

2. A life preserving apparatus of the class described, comprising, when worn two inflated bands formed as one piece from a single elastic ring which is single twisted for the purpose of forming said bands and which ring has smaller diameter parts where it is to be twisted, and auxiliary strap and buckle fastenings applied to the bands to hold the latter from moving apart relative to each other opposite to where the two bands meet, substantially as described.

3. A life preserving apparatus of the class described, comprising, a tubular ring adapted to be inflated and to be twisted to form two loops, one to encircle the body under the arms and the other around the neck of the person.

4. A life preserving apparatus of the class described, comprising, a tubular ring adapted to be inflated and to be twisted to form two loops, one to encircle the body under the arms and the other around the neck of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for duced portions being adapted to be crossed so that said ring will provide two loops, one of said loops to encircle thebody under the arms and the other around the neck of the person.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit-- nesses.

JOHN JAMES PRITCHARD. lVitnesses:

GEO. FUERY, D. LEAKER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

